


Shackled

by RidetheRain



Series: Balancing Act [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Gen, Pre-Calamity (Legend of Zelda), Whumptober 2020, follows memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:49:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27927034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RidetheRain/pseuds/RidetheRain
Summary: Link meets Zelda for the first time. It wasn't really the way he hoped to meet royalty.
Series: Balancing Act [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2044972
Comments: 2
Kudos: 73





	Shackled

**Author's Note:**

> These first few have already been posted on my Tumblr. Once I get what is already completed into this series I'll start posting on both platforms at the same time. Enjoy!

"So, you're Master... Link?"

"Yes, ma'am."

This was not how I had envisioned meeting the Princess of Hyrule. Not that I ever expected to meet her. My hands were neatly chained together and the shackle was held by two guards on either side of me. I was dragged to a standing position before her as if I would have remained seated in the presence of royalty.

"And you are a member of my father's army?"

"Yes ma'am. A longbowman stationed at Fort Hateno."

She eyed me in disbelief.

"And why were you at the Research Lab yesterday afternoon?"

"I was accompanying Captain Ehkar for a demonstration of the Guardian technology."

"I know why Captain Ehkar was in attendance. I am asking why you, in particular, a longbowman, were chosen to be there."

She was clearly trying to get me to say something specific. I had no idea what she wanted. I squared my shoulders as much as possible before I explained with as little embarrassment as possible.

"I have spent time studying the miniature guardian already stationed at Hateno. It formed an attachment and that attachment was noted by my superiors."

The two guards at my sides shifted minutely. The Princess's eyes flickered oddly before she settled back in her seat.

"And despite this...knack you have for the technology; you decided to destroy the one being demonstrated."

I flinched but didn't say anything.

"Did you come to Castle Town with the intention of sabotaging our best chance against Calamity Ganon?"

" _ No! _ " I gasped. My chains rattled and I sunk down several inches before the two guards pulled on the slack to keep me upright. "I would never, your Highness! Ask Captain Ehkar! I'm just very quick and I've been studying Bakon so I recognized the lights!"

"...Bakon?"

I could feel the heat on my face change from upset to embarrassment.

"The.. the little guardian stationed at Fort Hateno. He -it- looks like an egg. So... I named it... Bakon..."

I could hardly get the words out. She was quiet. It was kind of her not to laugh to my face. I let my head hang and my forelocks dangle gently in front of my eyes. My shackles chimed in time with the slight shaking of my hands. I couldn't look at her. I couldn't look at the guards. I couldn't look at the Sheikah hiding in the corner of the room. This was worse than anything I could have imagined. I just didn't want the tiny researcher to be hurt. The laser beams hurt when it was just little Bakon shooting. I can't imagine the damage a big guardian would inflict on a fragile civilian.

"Please, your Highness," I said, "I just didn't want anyone to get hurt."

I kept my head down and waited while she deliberated.

"Leave us, please." She said to my guards.

They shifted uncomfortably again.

"I will watch the prisoner." The Sheikah stepped out from the corner. My guards jumped nearly out of their skins. She noticed that I did not, I'm certain. She had the look of a woman that did not miss anything. She was intimidating enough that my guards dropped the lead to my shackles into her open palm and saw themselves out.

The woman, Impa, dropped my chains silently to the floor and melted back to the walls. I was left shackled, but free enough in front of the Princess. We were close enough that Impa would have to strain to hear what we were saying. I dropped slowly to my knees to do her the reverence I was not allowed upon entering the room. Better late than never.

"Bakon?" She said again in a completely different tone. She sounded a little teasing and intensely curious. The Princess persona was almost gone entirely. She leaned forward and pressed her elbows to her knees. She almost didn't blink she was staring at me so hard.

"Have you formed some sort of bond with the scouting guardian prototype? Has it formed a bond in return? What sort of studies have you undertaken? Did you keep a written record?"

"I..." I glanced at Impa. This inquiry was becoming frightening. "I named it Bakon because he needed a name. It follows me around like a dog. I.. it's a joke for soldiers, ma'am. We see if it can find me and try to confuse it. I, we, don't keep notes, but..."

I couldn't get any darker red, but I dug my teeth through my bottom lip in an attempt to keep words in my mouth.

"But...?"

"...we bet on how well Bakon would do... I have the wager book in my pack," I said miserably.

She pursed her lips and contemplated my red face and shaking hands. I kept my head down at the floor and looked at her through my fringe.

"That should do. I'd like to have that book, please."

"It's yours, your Highness."

"Thank you for saving my life."

I stiffened in my prostrate pose.  _ Her _ life?

"I was disguised as a researcher and I am the one you stepped in front of yesterday. I.. appreciate that you were willing to put your life in danger for any citizen of Hyrule. Most soldiers would not have stepped into the blast for an unknown stranger. Especially knowing that the guardian would be viewed by my father as more important than those who research them."

I was no longer red as her words washed over me. I was being thanked by a Princess. I had  _ pushed _ the Princess yesterday. She fell on the ground behind me when I blocked the laser. I raised my head and looked at her hands. Now that I was looking, I could see the dark pink of recently healed cuts. And just inside the sleeve was a dark purple splotch.  _ A _ _ bruise _ . From my hands as I grabbed and pushed.

"Master Link? Are you alright?" The Princess sounded worried. I couldn't tear my eyes from the dark spot on her arm. She was waving it in front of my face. Maybe I would faint and they would hang me before I woke up.

"Answer the Princess, boy!" The Sheikah's voice jolted me out of my fear. I was a little light-headed still.

"Are you alright, Princess?" I said cautiously. She had moved closer and was inspecting my face.

"My father will explain to the people in a few days." She was back to the Princess' voice. "We need you to be out of town when the announcement is made and we need you to go secretly. Impa will get it all sorted."

She stood and placed her hand very gently on my hair.

"I name you a Knight of Hyrule. Thank you, Sir Link, for your dedication to the safety of my people."

I watched her take a side step and walk out of the room. Then I looked at Impa. She looked angry.

"Come with me, boy. You got your reward. Now is the punishment." She walked to a spare section of the wall and pressed something. There was a creak before the stone gave way to a secret passage. My chains jingled loudly as I rose and followed her.

"King Roham is not pleased you broke a guardian. He can't banish you after you saved the Princess and the Princess is forcing his hand to make that news public. So, he's doing the next best thing. You're going into the Lost Forest."

The Master Sword. I was a dead man.


End file.
